Create more jobs, TUCP asks government

MANILA, Philippines — Labor groups held a protest at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City to demand from the government jobs and benefits for workers displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic as the nation commemorated Bonifacio Day yesterday.

Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) president Raymond Mendoza said the government should create more jobs through implementation of infrastructure projects nationwide.

Mendoza said the government could not just let the private sector take the lead in creating jobs.

“The private sector can no longer support workers without government intervention. Job generation has to come from the government and it must take the lead through aggressive public infrastructure spending,” he said.

Mendoza sought financial assistance from the government for the millions of unemployed workers and those who are on “no work, no pay” arrangements due to the pandemic.

“While there are financial aid for the poor and overseas Filipino workers, the formal sector workers are being left behind,” he pointed out.

Mendoza said the government must provide a subsidy of P11,000 per month to workers affected by the global health crisis.